Jump Off The Cliff

Hi Beloveds...

So, I heard this song for the first time today and it's amazing!  It expresses perfectly one of the deepest cries of my heart.  I don't know how I had missed it until now, because I think it's been around for a while.

The name of the song is "Without You" by Shane & Shane.  If you have never heard it, please give it a listen...

Isn't that one of the most beautiful songs you have ever heard?!  Haven't we all felt like that at some point?!  Haven't we all prayed this same prayer?!

As I listen to this song though, I hear more than it's skin deep beauty.  There is a sweet irony here that strikes at the very heart of human nature and our relationship with God.

This song is, at it's root, a song about faith.  The irony is there are times we are required to move with no confirmation or safety-net.  We just need to trust God and jump off the cliff.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

We are to just know He is with us.  A perfect example of this in the Bible is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (Daniel 3:13-28).

I love the Old Testament stories of faith.  Daniel and the lions den.  Joseph and everything he went through.  Faith is the ultimate choice of free will.  To choose Him.

"In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:6-9)

Even if we make a step in the wrong direction, as long as we are seeking Him, He will catch us.  Even if we are not seeking Him, the moment we choose to start He is right by our side ready to catch us then.

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

The point is just step.  Do something!  He will work with us.  He is so loving and patient through our weakness and doubt.  Just look what He did with Gideon, right? (Judges 6:36-40)

You and I are no different.  There are times He speaks to us, certainly.  But there are other times He has said all He is going to for the moment and is patiently waiting for us to move.  If you truly want to make an impact in this world, tap into that.

Forgiveness - Quick Word Study

...Forgiveness...

"They refused to listen,
And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them;
So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt.
But You are a God of forgiveness,
Gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not forsake them. (Nehemiah 9:17 NASB)

But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared. (Psalm 130:4 NASB)

To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; nor have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. (Daniel 9:9-10 NASB)

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28 NASB)

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4 NASB)

"Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"- because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:28-30 NASB)

To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
To guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:77-79 NASB)

And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
"THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,
'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,
MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT. (Luke 3:3-4 NASB)

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:45-47 NASB)

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NASB)

He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:31 NASB)

Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:43 NASB)

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39 NASB)

But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' (Acts 26:16-18 NASB)

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him (Ephesians 1:7-10 NASB)

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14 NASB)

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22 NASB)

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:18 NASB)

Psalm 51

Hi Beloveds...

Psalm 51 has always rocked me.  I love it!  I am a huge David fan.  If there is one person in the Bible I can relate to it's him.

I have always struggled with his adultery though.  Don't get me wrong, we all fall.  We all have our sin that is just as great as anything David did.  As I read the story of David and Bathsheba though I am hit in a particularly sensitive and personal place.

Psalm 51 is David's cry to God after he has done this deed.  It's pure.  It's raw.  It's real.  I can feel and relate to his heart and the pain.  I love the wisdom and knowledge of God he shows in the structure and choice of his words.  I could go on and on pointing these things out by verse, but there is one in particular that hit my recently.

Good Songs About Forgiveness

Hi Beloveds...  I just wanted to share a few good songs about forgiveness.  Hope they bless you!

Sometimes He Calms His Child...

Hi Beloveds...

I was just thinking last night about being in the presence of God.  I was thinking about how there are times in our life where we can be "doing" everything right and yet things still look dark.

We run to God in moments of pure desperation after being tossed about.  We have spent time in the Word.  We have spent time in prayer.  We have fasted.  We have come to Him with a pure heart, begging Him to make things better, yet the hurt goes on.

Are we not in His presence?  Are we missing Him somehow?  Is there more we need to "do"?